1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to equipment used in the veterinary field for the treatment of animals. More particularly, this invention relates to a mobile intensive care unit for providing medical treatment to animals wherein the animal is maintained and confined to the restraining unit during treatment and temperature controlled fluids and medication are administered to the animal while monitoring specific bodily functions.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In the veterinary medicine practice, often times medical treatment of animals is necessary in an environment other than a fully equiped veterinary hospital or clinic. The environment may often be an animal shed or a livestock lot. In these environments, it is practically impossible to restrain the animal without subjecting it to more psychological and/or physiological trauma. Further, a work area which would be antiseptic with some degree of environmental temperature control would be all but impossible. During treatment of the animal, often large volumes of intravenous and subcutaneous fluid and/or medications, over a prolonged period of time, must be administered. These fluids and medications generally must be administered at or near the body temperature of the animal and in some instances specifically above or below the bodily temperature. Further, during treatment, it is often necessary to monitor several bodily functions of the animal and to provide oxygen therapy. Thus, without the availability to provide the above specified medical treatment when the need arises, the degree of medical care and treatment is significantly impaired. The prior art illustrates various holding cages for equipment utilized in a clinic capable of meeting some of the aforesaid needs, however, in the field when on-hand treatment may save the animal, a portable unit for restraining the animal without undue trauma and providing the necessary medical facilities and equipment is seriously needed.